


The Way In

by celeste9



Category: Primeval
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Baking, Chocolate, F/M, First Kiss, Food Porn, Pining, Workplace Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-13
Updated: 2013-07-13
Packaged: 2017-12-20 02:57:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/882127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celeste9/pseuds/celeste9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Becker is absolutely not mooning pathetically over his coworker Jess, but he makes her a lot of chocolate pastries anyway. Bakery!AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Way In

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to fififolle for the beta, and to clea2011 for stopping my baking from being too American. For Trope Bingo, 'food porn'.

Jess sat on the counter, swinging her feet back and forth. She’d exchanged her flats for heels and changed her shirt into something that was slightly more low-cut. Not that Becker was looking. “I’m exhausted. I think I’d like to never stand again. Will you carry me home? I’m not very heavy.”

Becker rolled his eyes and finished boxing up some leftover double chocolate muffins for his neighbours. “I don’t think you even want to know how many batches of cookies I’ve made and loaves of bread I’ve kneaded, so I think if anything, someone should be carrying _me_ home.”

“Yes, but you’re too big. Who do you expect could carry you? A giant?”

“That’s rude. You’ll hurt my feelings. Perhaps I’m sensitive about my body.”

Jess snorted. “Oh, don’t even. Like I haven’t seen the literal double-takes when you walk down the street.”

“Oi, you two about done in here?” Danny called, strolling in from the front. “I want to close up.”

“Got a hot date?” Jess asked, grinning.

Danny winked at her. “You know I hate to kiss and tell.”

“I must have dreamed all those times I’ve had to run out before you start spilling out all the sordid details of your love life, then,” Becker said, hanging up his apron and washing his hands.

“I have to say, that’s incredibly pervy of you, Becks.”

“Piss off,” Becker said while Jess giggled. He stood in front of her and held his arms out, helping her hop off the counter.

When Jess went through the door into the front of the bakery, Danny mouthed, “Besotted,” at Becker.

Becker stuck up his middle finger.

He wasn’t besotted. Sure, Jess was cute. Beautiful, really, and sometimes he caught himself staring at her legs in those short skirts she favoured, but he was only human, right? If he liked to see Jess smile it was only because she was a lovely person and had that sort of infectious happiness that brightened the room. She made him laugh and made the long days working in their little bakery more bearable and God damn it.

He still wasn’t besotted.

Outside the shop, as Danny locked the door, Becker said, “Walk you home?”

“Oh, no, I’m not going home, actually,” Jess said.

“Really?”

“Meeting someone for dinner.”

“Oh.” Becker tried not to look too disappointed. He didn’t care, anyway. “A friend?” She could dress up for a regular friend. Didn’t girls get dolled up just for fun?

“Friend of a friend. Bit of a set-up, really. He’s a banker. I expect he’ll be dreadfully dull.”

Danny slapped Becker on the back, unnecessarily forcefully. “A banker, eh? Financial security. Always a plus.”

“Money’s not worth a lot if you’ve got nothing to talk about,” Becker spoke up. Christ, why was he such a twat?

Jess was smiling at him, though, and she gave him a wave, saying, “I’m off this way then, see you in the morning!”

“Bye,” Becker said, unable to even force himself to say something like, ‘have a good time’. He didn’t want her to have a good time. He hoped it was awful and the banker was the dullest banker in the history of dull bankers. It would be good if he lisped, too, or had an overbite or something. Maybe he could be balding. And fat.

“I’m embarrassed for you,” Danny said, shaking his head sadly.

Becker ignored him and crossed the street, putting as much distance between him and Danny as possible. Then he had a nice, quiet sulk on his way home.

The bakery was only about a ten minute walk from his flat, if he was strolling casually, which was nice considering the early mornings. Becker stopped at the door to the flat next to his and knocked. After only a moment, his petite blonde neighbour Abby appeared, smiling widely as she saw him. “Becker! Is that for me?”

He held out the box of muffins. “Double chocolate muffins, just for you.”

“Oh my God, I love you,” Abby said, taking the box immediately. “Conn! Becker’s brought muffins!”

There was a small crash from within the flat and shortly thereafter, Abby’s boyfriend Connor ducked underneath her arm to push the door open wider. “Thanks, mate,” he said, grabbing a muffin and taking a huge bite of it before snatching a second. Speaking around the chocolate, he added, “Gotta run, things to do!” With that, he vanished again.

“He’s in the middle of a game,” Abby informed Becker with a look of benevolent acceptance for Connor’s quirks. “I think it’s a zombie apocalypse this time.”

Nodding sagely, Becker said, “I’d hate to distract him from such important matters.”

“How’s Jess?”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” Becker absolutely hadn’t been plotting the unfortunate demise of Jess’ banker in his head.

“Of course you don’t. It isn’t like you’ve been mooning over her so pathetically anyone with eyes would notice.”

“Firstly, I do not moon, and I certainly do not moon pathetically. Secondly, if I were that obvious, Jess would have noticed.”

“Well, sometimes people are blinded by their own mooning.”

“Jess doesn’t think of me like that.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “You’re an idiot. If you asked her out she would probably kiss you.”

Becker took a few seconds to appreciate the mental image brought on by that comment before saying, “I think Connor’s a bad influence on you. You used to be so sensible.”

Abby shook her head at him, laughing a little. “Go on then, go and make Jess an éclair or something.”

“Jess doesn’t particularly care for éclairs,” Becker said and walked down the hall to his own flat, hearing Abby still laughing as she closed the door.

Becker heated up some leftover curry for dinner and spent the entire time thinking about how he wanted to try making a sort of cheesecake brownie, but more brownie than cheesecake and with goat's cheese for a better contrast. He had some dark chocolate in the pantry just waiting to be used and the goat's cheese would go off if he didn’t find a use for it, right?

So he washed his plate and then started melting chocolate with a large knob of butter, whisking in eggs and brown sugar. He added walnuts on a whim, and it had nothing to do with the fact that Jess was fond of nuts in her brownies, and then flour, and by the time he was finished the whole flat smelled like chocolate.

It was comforting. It reminded Becker of his granny, the way she’d always had a plate of shortbread or a freshly baked pie waiting whenever he saw her. She’d always smelled of warm things like cinnamon and nutmeg and most of Becker’s favourite childhood memories involved helping her measure out careful teaspoons of baking soda and watching her clever hands knead dough.

There was something not quite right about the brownies, though, he suspected it was too much flour. And maybe he’d skimped a tad on the brown sugar. He stared at the pan of cooling brownies and sighed. He’d bring them over to Connor and Abby tomorrow - they never, ever complained about eating Becker’s less than perfect experiments.

He took the mixing bowl out of the rack in the sink and set a saucepan on the stove. Maybe he’d make a batch of those salted browned butter chocolate chip cookies. Jess had proclaimed them better than sex and then flushed a brilliant shade of pink, matching her shoes.

The banker couldn’t make those. No doubt the banker didn’t even know what browned butter was.

-

Becker and Danny were well on the way towards having the displays filled when Jess arrived the next morning. She spotted the plate of cookies immediately and bit into one, closing her eyes and humming around it. “Oh my God, I love these. I dream about them sometimes, you know.”

Becker busied himself with icing the last of the red velvet cupcakes and ignored Danny’s cheeky grin.

“How was the banker?” Danny asked. “Do I hear wedding bells in the distance?”

Jess groaned and took another cookie. “God, don’t even mention it. I don’t want to think about it.”

“That bad?”

“Horrible. Why do you think I’m gorging myself on chocolate? Perhaps I’ll get fat and no one will ever want to set me up again because I’ll be fat and miserable and never leave my flat. Becker can be my only contact with the outside world, bringing me plates and plates of chocolate pastries.”

Becker bit his lip so he stopped grinning down at the cupcakes. He wouldn’t have to resort to violence, after all.

Jess carried the plate of cookies out to the counter with her. Momentarily there was a shout. “Where’s all the bread? What are you two doing back there?”

Becker sighed and picked up the tray containing all the loaves of bread ready to be put out. “Coming, milady,” he said, while Danny just laughed.

-

“Come on,” Connor wheedled, reaching one finger out towards the tray of brownies only to get his hand slapped by Becker. “Surely they’re cooled enough by now?”

“They stick if they’re too hot and it’s a pain in the arse to clean the pan,” Becker said, pressing his palm to the bottom of the pan to judge the heat.

“You don’t have to cut them _all,_ just enough so I can have a taste.”

Abby giggled and said, “He’s only going to get more annoying, you know this, Becker.”

Becker, with a great show of reluctance, got the knife to cut a sliver for Connor. “Yes, unfortunately, I do know. Fine, here, now shut up.”

Connor ate it in one bite, perhaps even bypassing chewing. “Oh, yeah, mate, that’s loads better. That was fantastic.”

Becker cut a taste for Abby and also for himself. His more discerning palate agreed with Connor. Round two of the chocolate goat's cheese brownies was deemed a success.

Abby said, “I don’t know how you make things that should not go together taste so amazing.”

“It’s a talent,” Becker said breezily, moving the pan of brownies away from Connor’s questing fingers so it could cool completely.

“Going to give the rest to Jess?” Abby asked with a grin. “Think this will be the chocolate that finally wins you her heart?”

“Oh, sod off about Jess already.”

Connor and Abby exchanged an amused glance and Connor said, “You really don’t have a clue how much you talk about her, do you?”

“It’s a bit adorable,” Abby agreed.

“And a tiny bit annoying.”

“Yes, that, too.”

Becker folded his arms over his chest and frowned severely at them. “At the moment, you’re both being more than a tiny bit annoying, and I’m afraid neighbours who are more than a tiny bit annoying no longer get pastries.”

Connor’s gasp was audible. “That’s not fair!”

Becker shrugged. “I’m afraid life isn’t fair.”

“I am appalled at your use of clichés,” Abby said but Connor added, “Me, too, but also, my lips are sealed. Not one more word about Jess and your embarrassing crush. Your pastries are worth far, far more to me.”

“That’s sad, you are so sad,” Abby told him, but Becker noticed she didn’t say anything about Jess the rest of the evening, either.

-

While Jess did make that face that made Becker think inappropriate thoughts when she tried a brownie, it unfortunately did not result in her flinging herself into Becker’s arms and professing her undying love for him. Perhaps he’d try combining brownies with chocolate chip cookie dough next. Jess liked cookie dough. Not that he was actually trying to seduce Jess through chocolate. That was just silly.

He wouldn’t turn her down if it worked, though.

“How close are we to having scones?” Jess burst in, wisps of hair falling out of her clip. “The ones with the currants in? We’re going through them a bit quicker than usual.”

“I’ve just popped a batch in the oven,” Becker said, grabbing a clean bowl.

“Excellent. I don’t even have to shout. Danny’s posh boyfriend just came in for his morning croissant, they’re flirting across the counter.”

“You mean Danny’s eye-fucking him.”

Jess giggled. “He does love those suits.”

“Think he likes what’s underneath them more,” Becker muttered, and Jess slapped his arm lightly before she went back out front.

Only a short time later Danny came in, whistling jauntily, and checked on the focaccia dough that had been rising in the corner. He dumped it out of the bowl and set to spreading it onto a baking sheet.

“You might want to be a bit louder, there might be someone in Wales who doesn’t know you got lucky last night,” Becker said, not jealous in the slightest. He was perfectly happy in his own flat, by himself. The quiet was nice. Having everything the way he wanted it was nice. He was completely content.

“Nothing like a fantastic blowjob to start the morning off right, that’s what I always say.”

“I really don’t need a play-by-play.”

“It’s probably the most action you’ve had in fuck knows how long.”

“You have no idea how much action I’m getting.”

“Oh, please,” Danny said, oiling the dough and spreading rosemary onto the top. “Leaving aside your obvious and sad hard-on for our dear, sweet Jess, you’re so uptight you’ve probably got a rod jammed up your arse that goes straight up your spine. I will dump James if you’ve had sex sometime this year.”

Becker opened his mouth.

Danny said, “It doesn’t count if it’s with yourself.”

Becker closed his mouth.

“I rest my case,” Danny said triumphantly, and Becker sulked his way through the rest of the morning.

-

Jess ran into the kitchen and said, “Becker, you have to cover the counter for me.”

Becker glanced at her from over his shoulder. “What? Jess, I’m covered in flour. Get Danny to do it.”

“Danny’s on break. I think he went to have phone sex with James.”

“Bloody hell, of course he did.” Becker set down the rolling pin and inwardly cursed Danny and his far too active sex life (it was unfair, that’s what it was), then faced Jess fully. “What’s the matter, anyway?”

“It’s the banker,” Jess said, ducking her head out front for a second.

“The banker?”

“My date! The horrible one! I don’t know what he’s here for, but I can’t talk to him, oh my God, Becker, I can’t.”

Becker looked at the dough he was rolling out, then the flour dusting his hands and his clothes, then Jess. “Jess, I--”

She widened her big blue eyes, her bottom lip jutting out slightly. “Come on, Becker, please?”

Becker sighed. “Okay. Okay, fine.”

Jess beamed at him, then darted up to peck his cheek. “You’re the best.”

Quickly washing his hands, Becker retreated to the counter and tried not to think about Danny saying he was besotted. There was a slender, nervous-looking man (far, far too old for Jess, what horrible friend was responsible for this set-up?) in an off-the-rack suit standing there, peering towards the back. Becker tried not to feel victorious.

“What can I get you?” Becker asked.

The banker blinked owlishly at him. “Wasn’t Jess... Doesn’t Jess Parker work here?”

“She had to step out. Phone call. Looks like you’re stuck with me.”

“You, uh, you work with Jess?”

“That’s why I’m on this side of the counter.”

The banker flushed and fidgeted. “Yes, of course.”

Becker found it amazing that he’d ever considered this bloke a threat. “Do you want to order something? There’s a line forming.”

“Oh! Oh, right.” The banker stared at the displays, like he had no idea what he wanted, and Becker resisted the urge to sigh again. “Are the muffins good?”

“Everything’s good here.”

“Right. Um, okay, then I’ll have a blueberry muffin.”

Becker rang it up and the man practically ran out of the bakery. He dealt with the other customers before returning to the kitchen to make Jess come back out. Becker hated working the counter; he’d much rather spend all day elbow deep in flour and let Jess charm the annoying customers with her wide eyes and ready smiles.

“Is he gone?” Jess asked when she saw him, leaning against the wall and twirling a tendril of hair around her finger.

“He’s gone. He was an arse.”

“He was! He was awful. I felt a bit bad because he seemed so nervous, but the thought of going out with him again was too much.”

“Well, lucky you have me to rescue you from terrible dates, then.”

Jess’ smile was brilliant, the sort of expression poets would write odes to. Thanks goodness Becker couldn’t write for crap, he didn’t want to think of the lows he might have sunk to. “Yes! You may now expect a call whenever I need you to scare a bloke off.”

Becker picked up the rolling pin again and reflected that that would be one task he would be very pleased indeed to have. In fact, if he could scare off the dates before they even went out, that would be best.

-

Becker had been icing cupcakes for what felt like his entire life. It was nice when people made big orders for parties and things, but there were days Becker longed for a profession that was less repetitious. There were only so many times he could spread buttercream before wanting to off himself.

Someone squeezed him around the middle and Becker’s hand jerked, smearing the icing. “Shit,” he cursed.

“Sorry!” Jess said, very cheerfully for an apology. “Looks like I’ll have to eat that one.”

“I suspect you might do this on purpose,” Becker said, handing her the wrecked cupcake.

She bit into it, licking some stray icing off her upper lip. “I would never.”

Becker had a sudden, fierce desire to kiss her. He wondered if she’d taste like buttercream.

“Oi, stop eating all the product,” Danny said, waltzing in and turning on the tap to wash his hands. “How many are we at now?”

“That would’ve been two dozen,” Becker said, and deliberately turned his back to Jess, picking up a cupcake and the piping bag.

He dug the heel of his shoe into his other foot until he stopped picturing Jess in his mind, licking icing off her lip.

-

“You look nice,” Becker said, trying not to stare when Jess came into the kitchen in a short dress that clung rather attractively to her petite figure, her hair curling over her shoulders. He was immediately desperately jealous and hoped her date would pick her up here so he could loom and glower threateningly.

“Thanks,” Jess said, smiling at him so brightly it made something in him ache.

Danny, mixing some sort of chocolate batter and seemingly oblivious to Becker’s inner turmoil, broke in with, “James is meeting me here, do you think you can entertain him for a bit?”

“Sorry, but Emily’s coming in, we’re going out for drinks.”

Becker did an inward fist pump. He might hug Emily when she came in. And possibly ask her to run interference on any blokes who might think they could try to buy Jess cocktails. Maybe she could pretend to be Jess’ girlfriend as a deterrent, but unobtrusively, so Jess wouldn’t notice.

Danny turned hopeful eyes to Becker. “Becks?”

Becker shook his head. “Come on, Danny, you can’t possibly expect me to make small talk with your boyfriend. You’ve met me, haven’t you?”

Jess laughed a bit too heartily. Becker was offended until he remembered he’d brought it on himself.

“Please,” Danny begged, attempting his best puppy dog expression. It really didn’t work for him.

“Christ,” Becker said. “That’s so pathetic I feel sorry for you. How do you manage to convince James to do anything?”

“Well, usually I--”

“No, stop, I don’t want to know.” Becker couldn’t emphasise enough how much he didn’t want to know. “Fine, I’ll sit with him, but you’d better hurry up.” Becker waved off Danny’s overly theatrical gratitude and followed Jess out front. “Girls’ night out?” he asked her.

“That’s the plan. We might go clubbing later.”

Becker didn’t like that idea. He wondered if there was any way to say so without sounding like a prat.

“Oh, look, there’s Emily now,” Jess said, her heels clicking on the floor as she crossed to the door. Jess had fantastic calves, Becker couldn’t help but notice.

Emily was indeed coming down the pavement, her long brown curls hanging down her back. As she reached the door, James came from the opposite direction and graciously held it open for her. She smiled and thanked him and came inside.

Jess practically squealed and said, “You look amazing! Is that a new dress?”

“Do you like it?” Emily tugged at the neckline and said, “I wasn’t sure if it’s a bit much.”

“You look gorgeous,” Jess assured her. “Hello, James! I’m sorry I’m leaving, we won’t have a chance to talk.”

“Another time,” he said, smiling at her in the way he never seemed to for anyone else. “Don’t let me keep you from your fun.”

“Bye, Becker,” Jess tossed over her shoulder, and then she and Emily were gone in a cloud of sweet-smelling perfume.

Becker was left feeling strangely bereft, like Jess had taken the light out of the bakery with her and left him in darkness. He didn’t know how any man could see her and not want to be with her always.

James pulled a chair out, scraping it across the floor in what sounded to be a purposeful move. Startled out of his maudlin thoughts, Becker went to sit at the same table.

James glanced in the direction of the kitchen. “What’s Danny got himself into? Can’t be bothered to come and meet me?”

“He’s in back, making you something.”

“Really? Should I be optimistic or wary?”

“With Danny, it’s usually best to account for all possibilities.”

“Hmm, yes,” James said with an all too knowing expression. Becker considered Danny one of his best mates, but he had never, ever envied James having to deal with him all the time.

They lapsed into silence. Becker never really knew what to say to Danny’s boyfriend. For as much as Becker saw him, James still felt like this sort of unknowable entity, someone Becker had absolutely nothing in common with. Except for Danny, and perhaps a public school background. Surely James had gone to public school, he had that aura of ‘yes, I know I’m better than you’.

Not that Becker was like that. He just had the accent.

“Shame Jess had to run out,” James said. “Lovely girl.”

“Yes,” Becker agreed. He considered it a fact of life that Jess charmed everyone she came into contact with, so knowing James was fond of her wasn’t the least bit surprising.

“For what it’s worth, in my experience, I’ve found it difficult to foster relationships when one party does not in fact realise that a relationship is desired.”

Becker stared at him, arching an eyebrow.

“Not that it’s my business, of course,” James went on. “One simply notices these things and wishes to be of some use. It gets tiresome continually witnessing such hapless ineptitude.”

“Hapless ineptitude?” Becker repeated.

James shrugged.

Becker pondered how insulting he was allowed to be to his best mate’s boyfriend. Would saying something in reference to the arse-licking James called a profession be too much? Obviously that was the most accurate way to describe the civil service, but he doubted James would agree.

Before Becker could arrive at a satisfactory conclusion, Danny made his entrance. “Good, you haven’t strangled each other yet. It occurred to me that leaving you two alone together probably was a bloody stupid idea.” He set a chocolate cake in a ramekin, topped with a dollop of what looked like clotted cream, in front of James and then tugged over a chair to sit right next to him.

“What is it?” James poked his spoon on the top lightly.

“Molten chocolate cake. Go on, try it, have I ever disappointed you with my baking?”

By the look on James’ face, Becker guessed that Danny’s experiments sometimes went as well as Becker’s did, and that James was obviously first taster. Still, he broke the surface of the cake with his spoon, getting a bit of the firmer crust and then the pudding-like centre.

“That’s really very good,” James said, licking the spoon clean. He had another bite. “I suppose you’ll be wanting some?”

“No, that’s all right,” Danny said, then leaned over and stole a kiss. He licked his lips. “Very nice,” he agreed, grinning.

James’ cheeks had flushed the faintest pink, but his mouth was curving into a tiny smile. “That’s a relief, as I’m not sure I can be parted from any more.”

Becker felt he had about stayed his welcome and got up, pausing at the counter and watching them for a second. They were easy together, the way they leaned into each others’ space, the way Danny swept his finger over the side of the ramekin to steal a bit of the chocolate, sucking it off his finger while James smacked him even as he laughed.

That coil of sentiment in his belly was definitely jealousy. He vanished into the kitchen to clean up the mess Danny had doubtless left before he could contemplate it further.

-

Becker and Danny were cleaning up the kitchen at the end of the day when Jess came in, clutching a clipboard. “Need any help?”

“We’re about done,” Danny told her.

“You have a little--” Jess reached up and wiped at a spot on Becker’s cheek with her thumb. “You’ve got flour on you,” she explained, biting her lip a little as she smiled.

_Go out with me,_ Becker thought. _Have dinner with me, come to mine, please, and don’t ever leave._ But instead he said, “Are you...” Becker swallowed. “You still staying to do stocktake?”

“I am indeed,” Jess said, sounding happier about it than anyone had a right to. Probably because it involved a list. Jess loved lists.

“I could stay and help, if you want,” Becker found himself volunteering. He hadn’t even meant to.

“Really?”

“It’d go faster with two of us.”

“Okay. Thanks, Becker.”

Becker just nodded and tried to make himself look busy, ignoring Danny’s gleeful expression.

“Well, I’ll leave you two to it. Think I’ll pop by James’,” he said, clapping Becker on the back. “Besotted,” he breathed in Becker’s ear as he passed.

Becker gave him the finger behind Jess’ back as Danny left.

Jess opened the big pantry and stood in front of it, then said, “Oh, hey, before we get started, do you remember that hazelnut chocolate cake you made? The one for my birthday?”

“Sure.” It had only taken him three tries to perfect it.

“Do you think I could get one? On Sunday? It’s my parents’ anniversary and I said I’d bring a cake, but you know I can’t bake, and yours would be so much better than anything I could buy in a shop.”

It was kind of ridiculous how pleased Becker was just by that simple statement, by the fact that Jess enjoyed what he made so much. “Okay, sure, Jess. When do you need it?”

“Oh, well, I was just going to head over in the morning, so, I don’t know. Can you make it Saturday?”

“Tell you what, why don’t you come over to mine Sunday morning on your way. That way it’ll be fresher.”

“You don’t mind?”

He was so obvious. Everyone knew that. Even Becker knew it now. He didn’t know how Jess couldn’t see that he would spend every minute of every day doing whatever she asked, if only she _would_ ask. “No, it’s no trouble.”

“Thanks, Becker.” Jess moved a few steps closer, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. She smelled summery, like flowers and everything sweet and fresh.

Becker rubbed the back of his neck and strode over to the pantry. Suddenly counting the bags of sugar seemed terribly interesting.

-

The knock came as Becker was chopping the hazelnuts. He put down the knife and went over to answer the door, finding Jess standing outside, smiling cheerily. “Morning!”

“You’re early,” Becker said.

“Going to let me in?”

“Right,” Becker said, standing aside. He closed the door after Jess. “I haven’t even finished the batter yet.”

“That’s okay, I thought I’d keep you company. Unless I’ll be in the way?”

“No! No, I don’t mind.” Becker retreated back into the kitchen, feeling vaguely off-centre.

Jess inhaled deeply and made an appreciative noise. “Smells amazing in here already.”

“Probably from toasting the hazelnuts,” Becker said, separating out the egg yolks from the whites. He continued working in silence, feeling Jess’ eyes on him, and reflected that this didn’t feel strange at all. He was so used to Jess watching him while he baked that he almost missed her when she wasn’t around.

God. He was so fucked.

When the batter was done, he poured it into a springform pan coated with butter and cocoa powder and then stuck it in the oven. “Takes about forty minutes,” he told Jess.

She was still just gazing at him, this kind of soft expression on her face. “You’re so good at this,” she said. “I could watch you bake for hours.”

Feeling suddenly flustered, Becker swiped the back of his hand across his forehead and set to washing the last of the bowls and the spatula. He always preferred cleaning as he went along, to keep the mess in check. “I should hope I know what I’m doing, it’s only my livelihood.”

“You know what I mean,” Jess said, but Becker really, really didn’t.

Or at least, he didn’t think she meant what he wanted her to mean.

“Becker,” Jess said, touching his elbow lightly until he turned towards her. “Becker, I thought… Do you want to come to my parents’ anniversary party with me?” she said, all in a rush.

Becker blinked. “What?”

Jess’ light skin was flushing. “I just… I mean, I thought… I know it’s probably awkward, and you don’t know my family at all, but I feel terrible about roping you into baking a cake for me and I didn’t even ask, it was so rude, and--”

“Jess.”

“Yes?”

“Sometimes you should really stop talking.”

Jess flushed deeper and Becker knew immediately that she’d misunderstood, she thought he was annoyed, and she said, “Sorry, it was stupid, I was being stupid. I’ll go… wait on your sofa, or something.”

When she turned to flee, Becker grabbed her arm and he knew he would never say the right thing, because he never did, so he gave into his instincts. He bent down and held Jess’ face between his hands and he kissed her.

Jess made a sort of squeaking sound into his mouth as she gripped his shirt in her hands. She felt frozen against him, like she was afraid to give in but afraid to pull back, too.

Becker broke the kiss, gazing down at Jess’ upraised face and her closed eyes. He wasn’t sure if he’d made things entirely worse and needed to apologise, but he was sure that he wouldn’t regret kissing her anyway.

“Oh,” Jess breathed, finally opening her eyes. The tip of her tongue darted out to wet her lips and it was ridiculous how turned on Becker was by that.

“Can we… Can we try that again?” Jess asked. “This time I won’t be such a lump.”

“I’ve wanted to do that from almost the first moment I saw you,” Becker admitted. “I’ll do it every moment from now on, if you want.”

Jess blinked at him, like she was stunned. “You... You have? You complete twit, why didn’t you ever say anything? Because I wanted to from exactly the first moment I saw you.”

“ _You_ could’ve said something.”

Jess waved that off. “Please. You were so stiff and stand-offish, I wasn’t even sure you did more than tolerate me for months.”

“Jess, I spend nearly every day of my life holed up in a kitchen creating tonnes of baked goods, and yet I still go home and spend yet more hours trying to make things I think you’d like, just for you.”

Her eyes went all soft, like she hadn’t ever thought about it until it was pointed out to her. “Oh, Becker. You were trying all that time, weren’t you? Poor baby, you were too shy so you were trying to smother me with chocolate in the hopes I’d catch on.”

Becker huffed and pretended to peer in through the oven door at the cake, even though he knew it wouldn’t be done.

A pair of slim arms went around his waist and Becker straightened back up, Jess going with him and squeezing his middle. “Are you offended now?”

“No.”

“You are,” she said, laughing. “I’m sorry. Even if I didn’t realise what you were trying to say, I’d just like you to know that you are welcome to continue smothering me with chocolate. Really, please do.”

Becker gazed down at her upraised face. “Are you attracted to me because I can bake you chocolate cake whenever you like?”

“Well, let’s wait until further along in our relationship for the heavy questions, shall we?” Jess squeezed her arms around him a bit tighter. “Anyway, you’ve got a nice bum, too.”

Becker reflected that he was absolutely, completely buggered because all he could think was that he wanted Jess to never, ever leave. “I have, haven’t I?”

Jess rolled her eyes. “I’ve always admired your modesty.”

“That’s funny, as I’ve always considered your modesty to be one of your finest qualities.”

“You’re taking the piss, aren’t you?” Jess pinched his stomach. “Hey, that’s not fair, we’re still in the stage where you should be nice to me all the time.”

“I’ve never been nice to you all the time, and you’ve certainly never been nice to me all the time, you bossy little minx.”

“True. Perhaps we should try being nicer?”

Becker held Jess’ doubtful expression and then they both shook their heads, grinning.

“God, that would be dreadfully boring, wouldn’t it?” Jess mused. “Besides, when you’re mean to me then you can bake me cakes to apologise.”

“Oh, I can, can I?” Becker said, grabbing the half-used dark chocolate on the counter too late to stop Jess from sneaking a piece. “And what are you going to do to apologise for being mean to me?”

Jess’ cheek dimpled impishly. “You’ll just have to wait and find out, won’t you?”

Becker had been waiting a long time for Jess. He figured he could wait a bit longer.

“So,” she said, sidling closer. “Want to meet my parents?”

**_End_ **


End file.
